Granite City Entrepreneur Launches DOUBLE00 Vodka

GRANITE CITY - DOUBLE00 Vodka is set to make its official debut at 7 p.m. in Granite City on Saturday, July 11, 2026, when founder Darryl Gill introduces the brand at Nick’s Bar & Grill in what he described as the product’s first official pour.

The launch event is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Nick’s Bar & Grill, 3900 Nameoki Road, Granite City, Illinois. The event will introduce DOUBLE00 Vodka to the region. DOUBLE00 Vodka is served ice cold as a premium shot experience.

Gill, a Granite City entrepreneur and resident for several years, said the launch marks the culmination of a lengthy process to get started.

“It is very exciting; I began this process three-plus years ago,” Gill said.

Guests are invited to meet the founder on Saturday night, enjoy the launch-night atmosphere and take part in the brand’s debut.

Gill said the name DOUBLE00 grew out of some of his barroom pool experiences.

“Pool scores go from the 00 to 27 range, and I am not that good, and I was nicknamed 00,” Gill said. "That is where the name comes from."

He said the vodka was created with an emphasis on "smoothness and value."

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“Our vodka is very smooth with no burn,” Gill said.

Gill said with previous bar experience, he noticed there were just two levels of vodka: "rail or premium," he added. "I think I found a way to get better quality vodka than the top name brands at a more reasonable price.”

Gill said the vodka is made in Pontoon Beach through a contract with a distillery there. He said he considered other locations before deciding to produce the vodka locally.

"We had an option of going different places, but Pontoon Beach gave me what I wanted and needed to reproduce my formulas the way I wanted," he said. "Distilling is an art and science. I searched across the state of Missouri, even as far as Chicago, but I found the right distilling place right here in my backyard."

Gill said Granite City was a natural place to launch the new vodka brand.

“Nick’s Bar and several other establishments are going to carry it,” Gill said of his vodka.

Gill said bars are an important starting point for building recognition for a liquor brand, even though many sales typically come through retail outlets.

He said he hopes grocery store placement will come later.

Gill also said family members are traveling from Washington, D.C., for the launch, and he is excited to have them for the Saturday event.

This Featured Article is sponsored by DOUBLE00 Vodka. To get your business or organization featured on Riverbender.com, contact us at sales@riverbender.com.

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